Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 3, 1994 TAG: 9405040003
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ian Spelling
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Both have greatly influenced the life of the 64-year-old actress, better known as ``Trek''-classic's Yeoman Janice Rand.
Whitney says her faith in God, her work on ``Trek'' projects and her supportive friends and family helped pull her from a nearly lethal black hole filled with alcohol, sex and drug addictions.
Her downward spiral began in 1967 when, after just 13 episodes of ``Trek''-classic - several of which suggested a potential Rand-Kirk (William Shatner) relationship - Whitney was dropped from the show.
The official reason for her dismissal was that the writers wanted Kirk to play the intergalactic field. And that's what Whitney told fans at countless conventions.
But in her own mind the actress had always believed her drinking problem had contributed to her firing.
Things grew worse after Whitney left ``Trek.'' Depressed and in pain, she fell into a dark period of drinking, drugs and promiscuity.
While still engulfed by her addictions, she was offered what seemed like a way to get back on track: a role in ``Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979).
``When they invited me back it was the thrill of my life,'' Whitney says by phone from her home in Yosemite, Calif.
But the experience turned out to be a bad one.
``I'd stopped drinking but had switched addictions from booze to marijuana,'' she says.
``We were under such pressure, going from [the proposed Star Trek II] series to movie several times, and the marijuana made me paranoid.
``Then, when the film opened, we all looked awful. Persis Khambatta said I looked better going in in the morning than I did after being made up and lit.
``I hated how I looked so much I drank again, and I finally bottomed out.''
Whitney eventually found help via a 12-step program. She says she also found God at her first program meeting.
``I came into the program a total atheist,'' says the mother of two and grandmother of one. ``My group of sober people was my higher power until I developed a personal relationship with the Creator.''
By 1981, Whitney was clean and sober - and she says she has been since.
A major turning point came when Leonard Nimoy asked her to appear in ``Trek III'' (1984) and ``Trek IV'' (1986). Rand also stood by Captain Sulu's (George Takei) side in ``Trek VI'' (1991).
``The films were wonderful,'' says the actress, whose other credits include ``Some Like It Hot'' (1959) and ``Irma la Douce'' (1963).
``I went back, made amends and worked with my friends again. And the films got me back on the convention circuit.''
Just three weeks ago, Whitney's self-confidence received another boost. Bob Justman, the producer who worked with Gene Roddenberry to develop ``Trek,'' called to correct Whitney's idea that substance abuse had led to her dismissal.
``Bob told me the booze and drugs had nothing to do with my being written out,'' she says. ``No one thought I was misbehaving. In fact, everyone thought I was excellent in my job.
``Bob said he was in the room when they decided to write Rand out because they wanted Kirk to have more affairs. They thought Kirk and Rand were too close and it would give Kirk a bad reputation.''
The news was music to Rand's ears.
``It justifies me as an actress, restores my reputation,'' she says.
These days, while once again seeking acting roles, Whitney attends Trek cons and serves as a motivational speaker for women with the same ``dis-ease'' (alcoholism) she has.
Her message: ``If you don't want to get drunk, don't take that first drink; if you don't want to get pregnant, keep your legs crossed; and if you don't want to die of AIDS, abstain from sex.''
``I say, `Let's forgive ourselves, get clean and get on with our lives. Let's do some good now and help other people do the same thing.'''
Trek alert
If you have Trek news or trivia to share - or if you have questions relating to ``Star Trek'' - write to Ian Spelling, in care of the features department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a reply.
by CNB